The Bryce Young Thread

[Jackie Lee]

3 minutes ago, Varking said:

He didn’t work out because he put on ten pounds of water weight to reach 200 pounds for the combine. Since it’s not his natural playing weight he didn’t want to participate in any drills because he wouldnt be as sharp. 
 

He knows if he showed up at 185 and balled out the questions about his size would still be there. 
 

But that’s why he stayed in sweats and wore shoes with four inch heels… so he wouldn’t look like kicker out there next to Levis, Stroud and Richardson. 
 

Id wager he does some of the drills at his pro day but doesn’t step on a skill to show his weight back down closer to 190. 

Yeah, not sure he's gonna flick 60-65 yard bombs standing still either. Stroud made those deep balls look easy at the combine

[csx]

4 hours ago, Tbe said:

His processing is elite. This is #1-A of what separates elites from Tier 2.

#1-B is availability. Can he go a full season and then win us a SB? Can he do that at 28 or 32?Brady, Manning, Brees, Etc almost never missed a start. Brady missed one I think. Manning never. Brees just 11 starts.

I think we can do a ton to protect him, but he’s still going to get hit and at his size a big Aaron Donold hit could end his season.

Draft him if Strouds processing is just not there, but don’t if Stroud is close.

BTW…I fully expect Young will have the better rookie year. The proof will be what happens in year 3-5 when the hits start piling up on that small frame.

Manning missed entire 2011 season due to neck injury and multiple surgeries. It's how he ended up in Denver. He missed 6 games in 2015 as well with a foot injury.

[Cavscout]

Young is the Mahomes "mini-me"

[top dawg]

I said it in the other thread. He won a Heisman in the SEC against "farm teams for the NFL" against skilled big guys with bad intentions. He was simply the undisputed best QB in college football in the undisputed best conference. And, you know what? He was available! Availability hasn't been an issue with Young. Pair his history with the fact that the modern NFL has been designed to afford the QB max protection, I just can't accept that as the crux of an argument not to draft him. He's been special and can be special running with the big dogs of the NFL.

[MHS831]

responding to the first page only--(have not read pages 2-3) I was looking at the post trade mocks online and most have Young as the pick.   That could be simply because he is rated as QB 1.

To me, when drafting a QB, you really need to look at their potential.  At both schools, the QB got good coaching--so this might come down to this:  Is Young's processing and work ethic enough to carry him over Stroud's physical tools?  Both have both, so it probably will come down to the system and fit.

[*FreeFua*]

4 hours ago, Jackie Lee said:

Yeah, not sure he's gonna flick 60-65 yard bombs standing still either. Stroud made those deep balls look easy at the combine

From Stroud’s very first drop back in Indy he was just different than everyone else. From his footwork to the ball coming out of his hand everything was no natural, smooth and effortless 

I also think Stroud hasn’t reached his full potential yet. I feel like Bryce may be maxed with where his game is at. Stroud shows flashes with his legs and his play making ability. His accuracy, anticipation, ball placement keeps improving  

I like Bryce but I don’t think he has the arm strength to drive the ball the way Stroud does. From a longevity standpoint, I’m not sure how I feel about banking on Young’s legs and his ability to extend plays which he does rely on a bit 

[stan786]

I’m not worried about Young’s weight personally. I remember when the same water weight Kyler plays at 180 actually arguments happened with Murray and I’d say most of his injuries have happened non contact due to his running.

Kyler Russ and Brees bulked up when they got to the NFL like most players do, Bryce has proven to me he has the frame to be over 200 lbs pretty consistently, he didn’t hold his combine weight awkwardly or anything it’ll just be a process like it was with all those guys from rookie to vet.

I also am not convinced there is a true correlation between playing weight and durability there are even studies that argue being lighter improves durability. I just think that’s because coaches don’t put those players in harms way as much. If you ran him like Cam sure he probably gets hurt more but you don’t because of who he is. He does a great job of avoid big hits with his elite pocket movement and processing as well and doesn’t run unless it’s a must.

I do worry about things like arm strength, and if he’s going to be able to throw into NFL windows like he did in college. His ball doesn’t have a ton of zip imo and he has to put his entire body into the throw to get it 50+ yards, I see a number of times he has a guy deep and ends up having the guy have to come back to it a bit. I think most QBs do have arm strength improve in the pros but if anything caps his ceiling I’d argue it’s that.

I think Stroud developing pocket movement and playing out of structure could elevate his profile over Young just due to ball placement and arm strength. He is truly special with ball placement it’s unreal sometimes, but I think some of the stuff I’ve seen when he gets pressured does scare me and honestly makes me feel he’s got more upside and more downside than Young. I think he fits like a glove with our ascending oline and fit in what Reich wants in an offense. 

End of the day I’m happy with either and I just think there is more to discuss than playing weight with Young though I understand while I may be comfortable with it some may not and I don’t judge that.

I will say I don’t get the downplaying of either prospect I think both are really exciting and I don’t get why people think there can’t be Elite QBs in this class. If you hate Young and Stroud I wonder what more tape of Maye is going to do to you. Feels more like nit picking than anything at this point.

[Ivory Panther]

7 hours ago, Jackie Lee said:

If Stroud and Bryce switched teams I don't think Bryce could have done what Stroud did vs GA. That all gets into the complexities of game plans and all that but Stroud actually had to show off some arm strength and power running that Bryce just couldn't do on a weekly basis. If you take Bryce you gotta build everything around the offensive scheme like Brees. Stroud seems a little more flexible and gives you a couple more options when teams scheme a certain way against you, force him in the pocket no big deal. Go man, he can run a little more and take a couple hits which was the main question mark until the GA game. Accuracy on the outs is obviously no problem 

I wholeheartedly disagree! Bryce carved a better GA team in 2021 & win their 1st match up.

that 2021 GA Defense was absolutely better than this year. 

[Hoenheim]

Some really good answers in this thread   

[NAS]

Is there any comparison in pre-snap reads, line protection adjustments or processing speed and progression 

[Hoenheim]

https://youtu.be/OV7hxjO2na4

[panther4life]

This may not be his fault and just scheme related but I must say, the amount of swing passes that are at or behind the line of scrimmage really bother me. 

I have seen him and know he can make downfield throws accurately too but in a lot of his games that I was able to watch, especially in the first half id say a very large percentage of his passes we’re behind the line of scrimmage or just past it by a couple yards.

Conversely when you watch Stroud his percentage of throws that are at least 5 yards beyond the LOS are significantly more. 

With then having similar completion percentages, this makes me think Stroud is the more accurate downfield thrower, while Bryce pads his completion percentage with swing passes. 
 

One could argue that’s a result of the coaches scheming and weapons available but still wish I saw a higher percentage of his throws made downfield like you do with Stroud. 

[Matthias]

Most people bring up Young's size in relation to if he can hold up health wise in the league.  Yet for me it's not only that, I actually believe his size will effect his overall play as a QB in this league.  I'm thinking about the amount of balls that will be swatted out of the air like flies.  Nothing grinds my gears more than seeing a 10 yard pass batted down at the line of scrimmage, and see it intercepted.  I feel that is going to be a regular occurrence for Young at his size.  He's not going to line up in the shotgun 100% of the time like he did in college.  He will be placed under center at times, making him closer to the line, and d-lineman will be licking their chops!

While SEC defenses usually have NFL caliber players, college football is still college football.  You also only stay in college for 3-4 years.  In the NFL, Young will have a 10-15+ year career.  That is plenty of time for NFL defenses to adjust to his play and shut him down if his play is dictated by his size. (By this, I mean if he has to adjust his throwing angle in any way due to his height, or if he has to move around a lot to have clear throwing paths.)

So I mentioned this in another thread, how many top QBs in the NFL are above 6' tall?  How many top QBs in the NFL are under 6' tall?  Based on that answer, you have to draft the guy that fits the model.  You can't screw around with this pick because you think a guy has talent or shown he has talent.  You have to consider talent, size, and what other metrics there is.  Young only ticks the talent metric.

Edited March 12, 2023 by Matthias

[top dawg]

1 hour ago, *FreeFua* said:

From Stroud’s very first drop back in Indy he was just different than everyone else. From his footwork to the ball coming out of his hand everything was no natural, smooth and effortless 

I also think Stroud hasn’t reached his full potential yet. I feel like Bryce may be maxed with where his game is at. Stroud shows flashes with his legs and his play making ability. His accuracy, anticipation, ball placement keeps improving  

I like Bryce but I don’t think he has the arm strength to drive the ball the way Stroud does. From a longevity standpoint, I’m not sure how I feel about banking on Young’s legs and his ability to extend plays which he does rely on a bit 

I mean, I don't take issue with your opinion, but this is ostensibly supposed to be about why Bryce Young is a good prospect. 

BTW, Bryce can drive the ball down the field enough to not question his ATM strength at the NFL level, at least according to everything I've seen. He doesn't have a noodle in other words.

I dare say that driving a ball down the field for 60-70 yards is a bit overrated within the context of what generally happens in NFL games.